Ricky Hatton insists defeat by Floyd Mayweather has left him determined to silence the critics that have surfaced since his setback in Las Vegas.
Hatton faces Juan Lazcano at the City of Manchester Stadium on May 24 eager to register an immediate return to winning ways following his 10th-round knockout last December.
Discussion with Mayweather's camp over a rematch in front of a 100,000 crowd at Wembley have already begun with spring next year highlighted as a possible window.
But Hatton must first dispatch Lazcano and has no shortage of motivation to dismantle the Mexico-born Californian.
'Losing has only made me more determined to come back and prove people wrong,' he said.
'When you have the first loss of your career, and a knockout loss at that, the knives come out.
'People have said I've had a lot of tough fights and too many fights. They've said I'm not the fighter I was.
'Boxing is nice and easy when you're winning but when you lose you find out what sort of boxer and man you are.
'Champions become great champions by overcoming obstacles, they don't have everything their own way. That's the position I'm in.
'I'm not saying I needed a kick up the backside but sometimes once you've been beaten after having everything your own way you come back with more fire in your belly.'
Losing to Mayweather may have left Hatton with regrets that only a rematch can address, but it has failed to diminish his popularity among his adoring Manchester public.
Only 4,000 tickets remain for his clash with Lazcano after 51,000 were snapped up within five days of being made available.
It is a staggering response that has overwhelmed the modest 29-year-old.
'I went to the Nigel Benn v Chris Eubank fight at Old Trafford in 1993 and there were over 42,000 people there,' he said.
'I was watching two of my idols and to think that the number of tickets I've sold for Lazcano has surpassed that makes me chuckle at times.'
Victory over Lazcano would be the first tentative step to setting up the return against Mayweather that Hatton craves.
And the Mancunian's dream edged closer after Golden Boy promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer claimed he has received a positive response from Mayweather's camp over a second meeting.
'It's very likely that Floyd will come over next spring. Floyd and his manager Al Hayman are very serious about it,' said Schaefer.
'The first fight was great and while Floyd would have to get past Oscar de la Hoya on 20 September first, he knows that Ricky has talked about the referee.
'He wants to show that he will repeat what happened the first time. That's his motivation.'
